From the Illustrated Edition of The Crittenden Press, August 16, 1894, many valuable and interesting pieces of our history were written about.
This piece was about the Civic societies of the town.
This feature of the town will always be found a safe and reliable standard from which to judge the propensities of the men who constitute the business element of the town and surrounding country.
Banded together by solemn and irrevocable ties, for the purpose of friendship, morality, brotherly love, sympathy, counsel and support, wherever they are found strong in numbers will always be found a harmonious and united community.
Silent often in their charities, the outside world can never know to what extent it is indebted to those noble organizations.
Although doubted by some, their doubts and suspicions are the offspring of ignorance of the motives and working of these institutions. Any community in which these praiseworthy organizations exist can always be trusted as peaceful and law abiding, and a good land in which to dwell.
In Marion are four of these societies, and each has a strong membership.
Bigham Lodge F. A. & A. M. is the oldest and strongest. It has a membership of seventy and is one of the best working lodges in this section. It owns its own hall and the lodge room is well appointed. Within the last two years it has grown rapidly.
Blackwell Lodge Knights of Pythias, was organized seven years ago, and has a membership of over fifty. In 1887 a number of the Knights from Ivy Lodge, of Henderson, came over to Marion and instituted a new Lodge, with a membership of twelve. Since that time the order has been growing and the idea of their own building was conceived. The new building was finished in October 1890, and the order has just completed paying for its hall.
The new K.P. hall was dedicated in Nov. of 1890. It is made of substantial brick, handsomely finished without and within and is a credit to the popular and rapidly growing order and an honor to our town.
From the start this institution grew rapidly, and it now embraces in its membership many of our best men, especially among the young. The lodge room is elegantly furnished and is one of the most attractive in the county.
The membership is not confined to Marion, but young men from various parts of the county have united with it and it is now one of the fixed institutions of the place.
The Ancient Order of United Workmen has a membership of forty, and is growing. Its members take a great interest in lodge meetings and are devoted to the order, which is very popular in the town and country.
The Knights of Honor have had a lodge here since 1879, and its members embrace some of the oldest and most substantial citizens.
The society at Marion is as good as it is anywhere. The people are unostentatious, friendly and social. We have no aristocracy.
For the purpose of hearing the leading men of the country and bringing the best talent to Marion, forty of the young men of the town have organized a Lecture Club and through the influence of this club the people of Marion are enjoying a distinction no other has to offer, accorded to a town of this size.
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